Begin Again
by leoslady4ever
Summary: Erza is a strong woman, but even she gets lonely at times. And this Valentine's Day, when she's about as low as she can get, she finds solace and maybe something more with someone she'd never have expected


_Happy Valentine's Day!_

_Here's something completely off the wall! I call them LoRza. Lol Hope you like it!_

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_As always, **Hiro Mashima** owns Fairy Tail._

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**BEGIN AGAIN**

Loke stepped into the guild just before six, the sun sinking behind him signaling the start of another Fairy Tail shindig. He grinned as he scanned the room, the new touches no doubt Mira's latest masterpiece. Every year during the month of February, the woman went all out, turning almost single-minded in her determination to decorate for Valentine's Day. It was no surprise to anyone really. It was the one day out of 365 that she was given carte blanche with not only the building, but also a number of couples' love lives.

Thankfully, she'd decided to leave his alone. His Master however wasn't so lucky. He could see her off to the side, her cheeks bright with color as Mira all but pushed her toward the Rune mage she'd harbored a crush on for the last several months. How the white-haired Cupid had found out about that, Loke didn't know, but it was beside the point now. Once Mira got her hooks in, there was no going back.

Lucy glanced in his direction, her eyes pleading with him to intervene, but Loke knew better. There wasn't a chance in hell he was getting between Mira and her goal of 'green-haired, brown-eyed babies'. He lifted a hand and waved, offering her an apologetic grin before turning around. He was going to pay for that later. Lucy was notorious for exacting revenge, and she was nothing if not resourceful. But this was Mira...no one was that stupid.

Casting a glance around, he realized Gray hadn't arrived yet. They'd made plans to hang out as they both were currently dateless. Of course in Gray's case, he could have had one if he'd wanted. Juvia had all but begged him to be her Valentine, offering to let him lick chocolate off of every surface of her body. The ice mage had nearly jumped out of his skin at her proposal, windmilling backward until he'd crashed right into Erza and her precious cake. It was almost a relief when the redhead had knocked him out. Poor guy was having a bit of meltdown.

Considering Gray was late, Loke could only guess Juvia had ambushed him again. It was becoming a problem lately. He'd even found her waiting for him outside the bathroom of his house. She'd passed out the moment he'd opened the door though as soon as she realized he was naked, and he'd been able to escape.

This time apparently, he hadn't been as successful.

At loose ends, he headed toward the bar, figuring he'd get a drink while he waited. He found Erza there in her usual spot, and he looked down with a grin, fully expecting to see her completely immersed in her favorite confection. Only there was nothing in front of her but a frosty mug of beer. It was strange to see her drinking. Usually, she stayed away from beer. Only during the really wild parties would she drink, and even then, it was shots and with a bunch of friends. Now though...she was sitting there alone, and there was an unnervingly dejected set to her shoulders.

He wondered briefly if something had happened, but as he looked around the room and found it alive with energy, he realized he'd gotten it wrong. Nothing had happened. She was just...sad.

It took no more than that to understand what was going on. More than likely, it was the holiday. It was common knowledge among their friends that Erza was holding out for Jellal. It wasn't a conscience thought, he was sure, but that didn't change that Erza had rejected every man to even hint at a romantic interest in her...flatly. Not even one guy had come close to getting a chance.

It was honorable to hold out for love. Even a player like him could respect that, but he also knew it left a person in a lonely spot on days like today. Valentine's Day more than any other could remind you that you were lonely as hell. He'd been there before, back when he'd let himself pine for a pretty girl to fall for. He'd changed since then, enjoying any number of women a month. He'd learned to appreciate the simplicity of that life long ago.

But it wasn't so long ago that he couldn't remember what it was like. He didn't like seeing Erza like this. She was a proud, fiery woman, and she didn't deserve to spend her day in such a way.

He should do something...but what?

Suddenly, an idea bloomed. It was crazy, probably walking the line of having a death wish, but if it put a smile back on her face, it would be worth it. Besides, she couldn't actually kill him. She could certainly make him feel like she had, but he knew whatever she dished out, he could take it. He was Leo the Lion after all, Leader of the Zodiac...and her friend.

He only hoped that would make a difference.

* * *

Erza stared at her drink in silence. She knew she shouldn't let Jellal's absence get to her like this. It wasn't like she wasn't used to it by now. It had been this way for them for as long as she could remember, ships passing in the dark and all that. But today, it was harder than she'd expected. She'd prepared herself to miss him, but this...this was just depressing.

And that wasn't like her. She didn't let things get her down. So why was she sitting her moping about her lack of a relationship just because it was Valentine's Day?

In that moment, she decided it was a stupid holiday. Who wanted to participate in such a girly tradition? Getting dressed up and exchanging gifts. Sharing a meal. Blushing at the touch of his hand. She was a progressive woman, one who could hold her own in any battle. What could she possibly want with all this hoopla?

Except she did want it. She wanted all of it, every silly, girly aspect of this atrocious holiday, and damn it, she wanted it with Jellal. Only he was on the run, and even if he wasn't, he was far too dedicated to his mission to stop for such a ridiculous reason as enjoying Valentine's Day.

Her shoulders slumping, she sighed and lifted the frosty mug to her lips. This day sucked so much.

"Hey there gorgeous," a low voice called from beside her...from very close beside her.

It didn't take a genius to know who the voice belonged to. She'd been around him enough to know his particular cadence by heart, but that didn't mean she wanted the company. And why was he standing so close? Irritation boiled in her gut, and she almost stood up and knocked him out for getting so far into her personal space, but honestly, she couldn't even make it worth her time.

Ignoring the man however turned out to be impossible. Loke had never been one to take offense easily, and sadly, this time was no different. He simply slid into the space between her seat and the next and tried again.

"How's my sassy little Red Hot today?"

Erza's mind paused at that. Had he actually called her that? Candy? And why was he calling her 'his'? Glancing over, she shot him a frown. "Leave."

It was about all she could manage at the moment. She knew it was rude. He wasn't doing anything really, nothing worse than he usually did, but she just didn't have the patience to deal with him at the moment.

"Aww...don't be like that, Erza. You know you'd miss me if I was gone," he replied, his tone smoother than silk.

Erza sighed. "Are you looking for Lucy?" she asked, then craned her neck around, looking for her blonde team mate. "She's over there with Freed."

Once more, she paused. The two were laughing, and Lucy had a healthy splash of pink across her cheeks as Freed leaned in and whispered something to her. She'd known how the girl felt about him, and while she was happy things seemed to be working out for them, she couldn't help but be jealous. She was never going to have that.

Her mood tanking even further, she downed the rest of her beer and held up a hand for another.

"Now, why would I be looking for Lucy when I'm sitting here with such a beautiful woman?"

She wasn't sure why, but the compliment stunned her. Maybe it was the dark place her mind had turned into or the sadness that pervaded her senses, but she hadn't expected Loke to prefer staying with her over the other woman. No other man had ever picked her company over another woman's before.

And that thought right there just made it all the more clear that there was more to her dilemma than she'd realized. Suddenly, an image of Jellal and Meredy popped into her mind, and she grit her teeth. And there it was.

She really didn't want to consider such a possibility, but she couldn't help wondering if the pretty pink-haired woman had anything to do with why Jellal was so absent from her life. Meredy was beautiful with a body any man would want. Had Jellal fallen for her sweet smiles and abundant curves?

Her grip tightened on her glass until a masculine hand came to rest over her own. "Ease up there, honey. Wouldn't want to cut those lovely hands."

She didn't know why but she let Loke pry her fingers away. She was wholly stunned however when he then lifted her palm to his lips for a gentle kiss.

"So soft, Erza. I had no idea your skin was so incredibly soft."

Erza could do nothing but stare at him in disbelief. What was he doing? She'd known Loke was a playboy. She'd heard the stories and seen the way the women fawned over him, but she'd never actually seen him in action before now and certainly not directed at her. She couldn't understand what was happening, why he was acting this way all of sudden.

And why the hell wasn't she stopping him? Abruptly, she pulled away, settling her oddly tingly hand in her lap. "What do you think you're doing?"

It didn't take a genius to pick up on the suspicion in her voice. She wanted to know what he was up, but more than that, she needed to know why she hadn't already knocked his ass out. Any other man that had ever been so forward with her had been swiftly and painfully cut down. So why was she allowing Loke such freedom?

The self-proclaimed Lion gazed back at her with a soft smile. "Nothing bad..." he assured, leaning an elbow against the counter and looking for all the world like he had just stepped out of a magazine. His lips curved further, transforming his expression into one of lecherous intent. "Unless that's something you'd like."

Her eyes widened at the flirty comment. He'd never spoken to her this way, and though she would ordinarily be incensed at such audacity, she found herself unable to speak. Even more confusing was the heat spreading across her face. Why was she embarrassed?

"I...I don't...I don't...um...no thanks," she stuttered, then frowned. What in the hell was going on with her?

The orange-haired man chuckled at her response, then leaned in further. "You sure about that?" he asked, lifting a finger to trail over her flushed cheek.

Erza swallowed hard as that slightly calloused digit swept down her chin, just barely grazing the underside of her lower lip. She couldn't breathe with him so close, but for the life of her, she couldn't figure out why. It had never been like this with him before. He was the guild's playboy, the one who sweet-talked his way into any number of women's pants, and not a one complained. But it had never happened with her.

She could admit to curiosity about his level of expertise. Any woman would be, she argued. The man obviously had loads of experience during his time at Fairy Tail, but beyond that, he'd lived for who knew how long. How many women had he taken to bed? How much had he learned over the countless years and potentially innumerable bouts of sex?

And yet, even wondering all that, she'd never been tempted. She'd never been interested in testing out her theories. She'd always had Jellal on her mind.

A shaky breath slipped from between her parted lips as she gazed up at him. Shouldn't she be pushing him away? Shouldn't she be angry that he'd even attempted such a thing? She knew that's what she'd ordinarily do, and yet try as she might, she couldn't find the energy to be pissed. Somehow, he'd tied her up inside, smothering her normal responses and inspiring new ones.

She'd never had a man touch her this way. She'd only ever read about it, dreamed about it happening to her, and in every single one of those dreams, it had been Jellal. Yet, here was Loke, giving her the attention she so desperately craved. He was the one looking at her like she was the only woman on Earthland, and it made her weary heart flutter wildly in her chest.

"What are you doing to me?" she asked softly. She hadn't intended to ask such a thing. To do so would be to admit a weakness, and that wasn't something Erza Scarlett did easily. And yet, she hadn't been able to keep the question to herself.

A slow grin lit Loke's face, and he leaned in, his mouth a scant inch or so from her ear, to whisper, "I'm seducing you."

Three little words were all it took to open up something inside her and send heat spewing out into her gut. He'd admitted it, openly admitted to trying to seduce her. It seemed so surreal, so unbelievable, and yet there he was, once more leaning back against the counter and waiting patiently for her response.

Only she didn't have one.

She'd never felt so conflicted before. For as long as she could remember, it was Jellal. He was all she'd wanted, all she'd thought about. She'd intended to wait for him, to save herself for him and him alone, but ever since she'd arrived at the guild and seen all the happy couples, she'd had to admit she was tired of it. Her reaction to Loke was proof that she wanted more. She could no longer pretend to be happy with the meager scraps Jellal had given her thus far.

But where did that leave her? Did she continue waiting for something she was beginning to suspect would never happen or did she open herself up to someone new?

She peered up at Loke, uncertainty clouding her mind. Something was still bothering her. Why her? Why now? So she asked.

The man before her shifted slightly, angling his body toward her in a way that pulled his shirt tight across his torso, something Erza could no longer ignore.

"Do you really have to ask, Erza?" he hummed, his voice nothing more than a rasp that sent shivers up her spine. At her nod, he raised a hand to her face again, brushing his thumb beneath her right eye. "Because you're beautiful...and because I don't like seeing you sad...and-"

Erza cut him off, her throat closing up. "You're doing this to...to cheer me up?"

Pity? She didn't want that to be the reason. Her stomach soured at the thought of Loke doing all of this, turning her upside down and making her question herself, all because he felt bad for her. Shoving his hand aside, she stood to her feet. She'd already felt like shit before, and now it was even worse. One man didn't want her enough to give up on his righteous mission and the other didn't actually want her at all.

Suddenly, she felt so inadequate...and foolish. What had she been thinking?

Humiliation riding her hard, she moved to push her way past him. All she wanted now was to go home, to be alone. It seemed that's what she was destined for anyway.

But once more, Loke was there, stopping her with a gentle hand on her arm. "That's not what I said."

He steered her back to her seat, and Mavis only knew why she let him. She could have easily knocked him out and hauled ass out of there before her humiliation was complete, but she couldn't bring herself to do so. Some part of her wanted him to prove her wrong.

"You didn't let me finish," he said, a soft smile gracing his features. "You're one of the most incredible women I've ever met. Certainly one of the strongest..."

She wanted to cry. Honestly, she did because what girl wanted to hear that in this moment? It just reiterated the fact that he was just looking out for a friend, and right now, that was the last thing she wanted from him. Somehow, during the course of this crazy situation, she'd started wanting more. From Loke, of all people, and it hurt to realize that she wasn't going to get it.

"And on top of all that, you're smart and sexy as hell..."

Her eyes widened at that, and she found herself snapping her head up to look at him. Was that the truth? Could he actually want her for real?

Loke chuckled, obviously seeing the question in her eyes. "Yes Erza, I think you're sexy. I'd think you'd already know that."

"I...I didn't..."

"Well, now you do," he said, his voice lowering into a purr as he ran a finger down her neck. "I keep picturing you out of those clothes. Any man in his right mind would, you know."

Slowly, his hand drifted down past her collarbone, and Erza had to fight to keep a startled gasp from escaping. She couldn't help wondering just how far he would go. Would those skilled fingers keep going until they caressed the top of her suddenly heaving breasts?

And she wanted it. Even sitting there in the middle of the guild, with all their friends only steps away, she wanted. Sadly, just as it looked like he would do exactly that, he retreated, moving back up toward her neck and leaving Erza in a weird state of disappointment until he continued.

"I want to strip away all your armor and see what's underneath. I want to see the parts of you that no other man has ever seen..."

Erza's breath caught and she found herself questioning his meaning. Was he talking about her body? Or was he talking about more?

"But it's okay if you're not ready," he continued gently, stepping back and letting his hand fall to his side. He gave her a soft smile. "I know you've been waiting for Jellal, and if you want to keep waiting for him, that's alright. I understand. Just remember that I'm here...for whatever you need."

With that, he took a step back, and Erza could see he was about to leave her to her thoughts. But she didn't want him to go. As crazy as it all sounded, she wanted everything he was offering her. Maybe it would just be for the night, but if that was all, she could accept it. Because it felt like the start of a new life for her, a life that didn't involve wasting away the best years of her life on a man that couldn't forgive himself enough to give her his heart.

Suddenly, her path seemed clear, the confusion from earlier no longer holding her back and making her question what she wanted. She knew what that was, and it was even now walking away. Loke had done what Jellal had never been able to do, give her control on what happened between them, and in that moment, she loved him for it.

And with every ounce of her being, she wanted him.

She stood with purpose and went after him, taking a page from his book and grabbing hold of his arm. For the first time today, she felt hopeful, invincible, and it was all because of him. "Loke," she called, taking a breath as he turned around. "I don't want to wait anymore."

His smile came instantly, and then he reached for her hand. "Then don't."

She let him take her hand, and then they were moving toward the door. Later, she would wonder who'd seen them that way, what they were saying, but for now, she didn't care. All she wanted was right in front of her, and from here on out, she was going for it.


End file.
